HB 1772
In CommitteeHouse
Shared streets
Establishing shared streets.
This status may be delayed. See Action History below for the latest updates.
How does a bill become law?
- Introduced: The bill is filed and assigned a number.
- Committee: A subject-matter committee holds hearings, takes public testimony, and decides whether to advance the bill.
- Floor Vote: The full chamber (House or Senate) debates and votes on the bill.
- Opposite Chamber: The bill repeats the committee and floor vote process in the other chamber.
- Governor: The Governor reviews the bill and decides whether to sign or veto it.
- Signed: The bill has been signed into law.
AI Analysis
This bill allows Washington cities and counties to create shared streets—areas where cars, pedestrians, and people using scooters or e-bikes share the road with clear rules about who yields to whom. It also lowers speed limits on these streets, updates how drivers must pass vulnerable users, and simplifies local authority to set lower speeds. The bill takes effect on July 28, 2025.
- Cities and counties can designate nonarterial streets as shared streets, where pedestrians, bicyclists, and vehicles share the same space, using official traffic control devices.
- On shared streets, vehicles must yield to pedestrians, bicyclists, and micromobility device users, and bicyclists/micromobility users must yield to pedestrians.
- Speed limits on shared streets can be set as low as 10 mph by local authorities using simplified procedures (no engineering study required), and these limits can be canceled within one year without a study.
- New rules clarify how drivers must pass pedestrians and cyclists: on multi-lane roads, drivers must move into a left lane; on one-lane roads, they must slow down and pass at least 3 feet away, or move into oncoming traffic if safe.
- Pedestrians, personal delivery devices, and micromobility users are exempt from certain standard rules (like walking on roadways or crossing diagonally) when on a designated shared street.
- Violations of new passing rules near pedestrians or cyclists carry an additional fine equal to the base penalty under RCW 46.63.110(3), with funds going to the Vulnerable Roadway User Education Account.
Who is affected
- Pedestrians, bicyclists, and micromobility device users — Residents and visitors who walk, bike, or use devices like scooters or e-scooters on city streets — especially in neighborhoods where shared streets are designated — will have clearer rules about who yields to whom and how vehicles, pedestrians, and micromobility users share the road.
- Motor vehicle drivers — Drivers of cars and other vehicles will need to yield to pedestrians and micromobility users on shared streets and follow new passing rules, including reduced speed limits in designated zones.
- Local transportation and public works agencies — City and county governments will gain authority to designate shared streets and set lower speed limits (as low as 10 mph) on those streets, using simplified procedures.
- People with disabilities — People with disabilities who rely on wheelchairs or other mobility aids will benefit from updated sidewalk and roadway access rules, and shared streets may offer safer, more inclusive environments.
Pro/Con Analysis
Stronger case for benefits
Potential Benefits (5)
Mandating that vehicles yield to pedestrians, bicyclists, and micromobility users on shared streets significantly improves safety for the most vulnerable road users—especially children, seniors, and people with disabilities—by establishing clear right-of-way rules in high-conflict zones.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 1(2)Allowing localities to set 10 mph speed limits on shared streets without engineering studies lowers speeds in residential and mixed-use areas, reducing crash severity and increasing time for drivers to react—key for preventing fatalities in neighborhoods with high pedestrian activity.
TransportationPeopleRef: Sec. 3(3)(a)Requiring drivers to move into a left lane (on multi-lane roads) or maintain ≥3 ft clearance (on single-lane roads) when passing pedestrians and cyclists creates a physical buffer zone, directly reducing the risk of side-swipe and rear-end collisions.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 4(2)(a)(ii)(A)Imposing an additional fine (deposited into the Vulnerable Roadway User Education Account) for violations of the new passing rules creates a financial deterrent to dangerous driving near vulnerable users and funds education efforts to improve driver awareness.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 4(2)(b)-(c)Clarifying that pedestrians may walk on roadways where sidewalks lack wheelchair accessibility improves mobility and inclusion for people with disabilities, while still encouraging sidewalk use where feasible—balancing safety and equity.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 2(1)
Potential Concerns (4)
Exempting pedestrians, delivery devices, and micromobility users from standard pedestrian rules (e.g., walking on roadways, diagonal crossings) on shared streets may increase unpredictable behavior and confusion for drivers unfamiliar with the new rules, potentially raising collision risk in mixed-use zones.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 2(6)Requiring drivers to pass at least 3 feet from vulnerable users on single-lane roads may be impractical in narrow streets or high-traffic areas, leading to driver noncompliance, frustration, or unsafe maneuvers (e.g., encroaching into oncoming traffic) if infrastructure (e.g., lane width, sightlines) is inadequate.
TransportationPeopleRef: Sec. 4(2)(a)(ii)(A)Allowing localities to set 10 mph speed limits on shared streets without engineering studies may produce arbitrary or inconsistent limits that don’t reflect actual conditions, potentially undermining credibility of speed enforcement and increasing driver resistance or noncompliance.
Local GovernmentLean peopleRef: Sec. 3(3)(a)Excluding the new passing rules from shared streets (where vehicles, pedestrians, and micromobility users share space) creates a regulatory gap: the most high-risk interactions occur precisely where the strongest passing protections are *not* applied, increasing vulnerability for pedestrians and cyclists.
TransportationLean peopleRef: Sec. 4(2)(e)
Who Is Most Affected
Pedestrians, especially children, seniors, and people with disabilities, benefit significantly from lower speeds, clear right-of-way rules, and protected passing distances—reducing risk of injury or death in shared zones.
Bicyclists and micromobility users gain stronger legal protections and safer infrastructure in shared zones, but may face confusion if local implementation is inconsistent or if drivers resist yielding behavior.
Drivers face new obligations (yielding, lower speeds, stricter passing rules), which may increase driving complexity and compliance burden—but reduce crash risk and liability exposure in shared zones.
Local governments gain flexibility to tailor street design to neighborhood needs, but may face implementation costs (signage, enforcement, public education) and liability concerns if speed limits or designs prove unsafe.